While I prepare some longer posts after some time off, here’s a terrific real photo postcard of a mother cat and four kittens posed on a stepladder. Two things are unusual in this image: the entire family appears to be white, and there are four kittens. It was often the case that, in the days before surgical spaying became available, all the kittens but one or two were drowned at birth. Perhaps the little fellows all survived because of their unusual color.

Presumably the photographer is “Glen,” who sent the postcard with the comment “thought I’d send you some cats.” However, this pose probably required more than one person: a cat arranger and a photographer ready with the camera before the subjects jumped down and ran off.